Trump refiles shorter NYT lawsuit judge blasted as too long

President Donald Trump refiled a shorter version of his $15 billion defamation suit against the New York Times after a judge tossed it out for violating court rules requiring “short, plain, direct” claims.

Trump’s new lawsuit, filed Thursday in federal court in Tampa, Florida, is 40 pages long — less than half the original length of 85 pages. US District Judge Steven Merryday had dismissed the suit last month, concluding it “unmistakably and inexcusably” violated the court’s rules by featuring “repetitive,” “superfluous” and “florid” allegations and details.

Trump initially filed the suit Sept. 15 against The New York Times and Penguin Random House LLC, accusing the paper of serving as a “mouthpiece” for Democrats, pitting himself against one of the world’s oldest and most prominent news organizations.

The new complaint still praises Trump’s “hard-earned, sterling reputation” and describes him as a “globally celebrated businessman” who “possesses a unique charisma.” But it’s been stripped of other details, including an extensive background of his career and color images of his real estate properties.

After the suit was refiled, the New York Times reiterated its position that the lawsuit is meritless.

“As we said when this was first filed and again after the judge’s ruling to strike it: this lawsuit has no merit. Nothing has changed today,” a spokesperson for the Times said. “This is merely an attempt to stifle independent reporting and generate PR attention, but The New York Times will not be deterred by intimidation tactics.”

Merryday, an appointee of former President George H.W. Bush, had given Trump’s legal team time to refile a complaint that met the court’s rules.